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Fall 2012 Issue
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Protecting Your Bottom Line
This issue of à la Carte is focused on
educating members about a topic that,
frankly, has been “a disconnect” with
many operators: advocating with your
elected officials on behalf of your business
and the foodservice industry. Let me take a
moment to share my thoughts on why you
should focus on advocacy to the extent you
focus on food and labor costs. There’s no
denying that each of these areas can make
or break your ability to generate a profit.
This is part of ‘Foodservice 101.’
However, while you have spent the
past several years focusing on how to
better market your restaurant, cut costs
and survive the recession, others with
absolutely no interest in your business have
been spending time working to press their
agendas. In most cases, activists are only
interested in one outcome: theirs. They
are not concerned about the unintended
consequences and additional costs of
doing business that strangle growth and
free enterprise.
Examples, you say? Well, look no further
than New York City’s recent ban on the
sale of all soft drinks and other sugary
beverages in excess of 16 ounces. No one
will likely argue that obesity is a growing
problem in our country and that it leads to
a variety of health challenges.
What I will argue is that the foodservice
industry is not the culprit it has been
made out to be. Food offered for sale
today is not radically different than it
was 50 years ago. Societal habits have
changed; kids don’t exercise like they
once did. They lead a more sedentary
lifestyle thanks to computers, cell phones
and other digital media.
Mayor Bloomberg’s draconian solution
won’t solve the problem; it will only create
unintended consequences for operators
and consumers. Where are the parents
in this discussion? Physical education
classes are being cut at an alarming rate
in our schools. To solely blame restaurants
is short-sighted, politically expedient and
disingenuous at best. Worst yet, one must
ask the question, what’s next from the
nanny state?
We saw it here in Ohio with the push for
paid sick leave several years ago, and more
recently in Cleveland with its city council
banning trans fats and mandating other
anti-restaurant initiatives. It will only be
getting worse in the coming years.
The ORA works hard to focus on defeating
anti-competitive legislation and regulations
at the state level. It’s our job. But, as
one who has been involved with state
government in one form or another since
1977, I can tell you that the work required
of our lobbyist to defeat bad legislation
and find support for ideas that will lower
your cost of doing business has become
increasingly difficult.
This is where you come in. It is imperative
that, as operators, you begin to focus on
these “wolves at the door” and become
engaged in the process to educate and
inform your elected officials as well as
your own support for the ORA’s advocacy
efforts. How can you accomplish this?
It’s easy.
Here are six simple steps:
• Read ORA e-mails and other
communications designed to keep
you abreast of our work to protect
your business.
• Get to know your local elected
officials, mayors, state
representatives and senators. They
love to dine out and meet with
constituents in public. Invite them
to visit your restaurant and introduce
them to your employees. Let them
know what your business means to
the local economy, what you pay in
taxes and how their decisions affect
your bottom line.
Why Advocacy Is So Important and
Why You Can No Longer Ignore It
Protecting Your Bottom Line
cont’d on page 2...
